Ashtray



R. W. COTTON July 11, 1939.

ASHTRAY Filed Oct. 26, 1956 INVENTOR ROBERT W. C OTTO/Y TTORNEY Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 26 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved form of ash tray either for permanent or temporary use.

An object of the present invention is the pro vision of an ash tray formed to receive and firmly 5 hold cigarettes in a substantially suspended position.

Another object is the provision of an ash tray having means without moving parts for firmly gripping a cigarette without damaging it when being inserted or removed.

Another object is the provision of an ash tray adapted to grip a cigarette and hold it out of contact with the tray or any other object while it is burning or smouldering down to the usual stub which is thrown away.

A further object is the provision of means through which the ordinary cigarette package may be used as a temporary ash tray without the danger of catching fire.

There are many types of ash tray now on the market. The majority of these have means on which a cigarette may be placed but they do not grip the cigarette so that it usually slides into the ash receptacle of the tray. Even if it does not slide into the receptacle, a comparatively large portion of the cigarette remains in contact with the metal or other material of the ash tray. This usually discolours the cigarette and gives it a distasteful flavour thereby not only spoiling the pleasure derived from the tobacco but it often mars the finish of the tray. It is impossible to set a cigarette down in ash trays of this type which are mounted in automobiles since the vibration would soon shake the cigarette onto the floor or the upholstering of the car.

There are other ash trays having means for gripping cigarettes but these have springs and moving parts in which dirt accumulates and which greatly increase the cost of the tray. Here again a relatively large portion of the cigarette remains in contact with the metal of the tray with the disadvantages as pointed out above.

Although most homes and public places are provided with ash trays, still cigarette smokers are 5 always finding themselves in positions where ash trays are not available resulting in their not having anywhere to deposit the ashes or the cigarette stub. In situations like this, the smoker has to deposit the ashes on the floor and tries to do so as inconspicuously as possible. Again, a smoker in this position desiring to lay the cigarette down must set it on some article of furniture with the danger of marring the furniture and giving the cigarette a distasteful flavour.

The present invention overcomes the above out- 1936, Serial No. 107,712

lined difiiculties by providing means which may be applied to cigarette packages and particularly the slide type package, for receiving and firmly gripping a cigarette so that it cannot come into contact with the package. This improved package may be used as a temporary ash tray so that the smoker need never be without an ash tray regardless of where he may be. With this means, the cigarette may be set down a number of times until it has burned down to the usual stub which is discarded, without the ignited part thereof coming into contact with the tray. The accompanying drawing illustrates a cigarette package embodying the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the cigarette package comprises the usual container 24 with its sliding tray 25, the latter having the usual iiap 23. A plurality of recesses l3 are cut in the end of the flap 26. Each of these recesses has a base M and side walls l5 and I6 which converge from the top of the recess towards the base M. The outer end of each recess is wider than the normal diameter of a cigarette while the inner end thereof is narrower than said diameter due to the convergence of walls l5 and I5. When the tray 25 is moved outwardly until the end of the flap 26 clears the container 24, said flap tends to spring upwardly so that a cigarette may be pressed into any one of the recesses [13. The fiap 26 is comparatively thin so that when a cigarette is inserted in one of the recesses 13, the walls thereof contact only a very small portion of the cigarette. In view of this, the cigarette package may be used as a temporary ash tray.

With this construction, a cigarette may be pressed down into one of the recesses I3 where it will be firmly held in a substantially horizontal position out of contact with the tray excepting where the thin Walls of the recess grip it. The cigarette may be inserted into and removed from the recess a number of times without injuring it until it has burned down to the usual length of stub which is discarded.

The recesses l3 hold the cigarette above the tray or package thereby preventing discoloration and distasteful flavours as well as eliminating the possibility of the package catching fire, as would be the case if the cigarette were placed on the package. If it is desired to put the cigarette stub out, the lighted end may be ground in the ashes on the top of the package without damaging it.

When a cigarette is pressed in the recess l3 of an ash tray, it is compressed at the point of contact with the walls of the recess. This compression packs the tobacco at this point so that, should the cigarette be forgotten, it will go out when it has burned down to the compressed point. This is a decided advantage since the smoke from a smouldering cigarette is most annoying and hard on the eyes.

From the above it will readily be seen that means has been provided which may be applied to cigarette packgaes, in which a cigarette may be placed and firmly held out of contact with the ash tray or package.

Various modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the claim, and therefore the exact forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense, and it is desired that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are disclosed in the prior art or are set forth in the accompanying claim.

What I claim as my invention is:

An ash tray comprising a cigarette package adapted to act as a temporary ash receptacle, said package having a sliding tray with the usual flap, and a plurality of recesses cut in the end of the flap, each of said recesses being formed with a 10 base and straight side walls converging towards said base adapted to grip and firmly hold a cigarette pressed therebetween.

ROBERT WILLIAM COTTON. 

